Cheap Fantasy Baseball Closers and Saves: Spring Training Risers, Sleepers, Breakouts

March 16, 2026

Nick Mariano's favorite cheap closers: fantasy baseball breakouts, sleepers, spring risers for 2026 drafts. Target these later-round closers for cheap saves.

Many of you have already gotten some fantasy baseball draft prep in, and perhaps even drafted already, but you know that the closer landscape changes rapidly. We're here to highlight several relievers who are available as late-round fliers that offer sneaky breakout potential thanks to recent developments. Some are bolstered by injuries around them, while others are sporting new pitch mixes or velocity bumps.

We'll investigate what makes each of these guys an intriguing pick, why said intrigue is growing of late, and how they have a reasonable path to saves in 2026. If fantasy managers want to wait on selecting RPs in upcoming fantasy drafts, then here we are with great pivots that are rarely being considered. We'll utilize NFBC ADP from March 1-14, as most names go later than ADP data from Yahoo provides.

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Griffin Jax / Garrett Cleavinger, Tampa Bay Rays

NFBC ADP: 185 / 375

Edwin Uceta is behind schedule due to a cranky shoulder, which elevates Jax and Cleavinger on the committee-happy Rays. Those who are bullish on Uceta’s swift return won’t lean into this, but he must avoid setbacks and be sharp enough to deserve the high leverage.

Meanwhile, Jax has a 7:1 K:BB with one run allowed over 4 ⅔ IP between spring training and the World Baseball Classic. It’s a small slice of pie, but it helps confirm the sharper form he showed down the stretch after early turbulence with Minnesota.

The Rays backed off his ~50% sweeper usage in September, adding more fastballs, changeups, and cutters. Batters only mustered one run over 10 IP in that span, as well as one lonely hit on the 97-mph heaters. And remember, he'll get the pitcher-friendly Trop behind him, rather than the Yankees' spring venue.

Cleavinger has only thrown three frames between spring and the WBC, scattering one measly hit with two strikeouts. He’d always supplied strong whiffs, but managed to increase the Ks while trimming walks by culling the four-seamer and being a primary slider-sinker arm.

Out of 144 RPs with at least 50 relief innings last year, both excelled on the K-BB% leaderboard. Jax (28.1%) was eighth, and Cleavinger (26.3%) was 11th. Newcomer Bryan Baker, who has been hit around this spring, was 17th (24.1%) while Uceta was 18th (23.7%). What a group.

Kirby Yates / Jordan Romano, Los Angeles Angels

NFBC ADP: 306 / 546

Robert Stephenson has encountered yet another setback, and we have to be prepared for his 2026 to be lost. I love Drew Pomeranz, he of the FrankenAce fame, but the 37-year-old’s ceiling is likely limited as the key southpaw.

Yates has risen towards the top 300 but is still an afterthought in many drafts, likely thanks to a tanked stat line after an injury-riddled 2025 campaign for the Dodgers. I've pointed this out elsewhere, but last year the man carried a 41.3% K rate that trailed only Mason Miller in 18 1/3 IP of work before the hamstring issue cropped up.

Romano had it even worse, losing his command and the closer role for Philadelphia en route to an 8.23 ERA after getting hurt and drummed out of Toronto in ‘24. Now with another year of recovery, Romano is already sitting at 95-96 mph through his first four spring games. I'd rather have Yates, but I can't ignore this.

Lucas Erceg / Matt Strahm, Kansas City Royals

NFBC ADP: 394 / 481

Carlos Estevez had an ugly pair of innings before reporting for the World Baseball Classic. Per BrooksBaseball, diminished velocity (~87 mph fastball) led to four runs on three homers without a strikeout. He then went up to an average of 89.3 mph in a WBC exhibition versus Detroit before sitting at 90.6 mph in a WBC game against Israel.

There’s time for him to get amped up, but we were concerned before this red flag joined the party. After posting a 3.24 FIP/3.57 SIERA behind a 2.45 ERA in 2024, the profile slipped in ‘25. Despite an identical 2.45 ERA and 42 saves, his swinging-strike rate fell from 12.5% to 8.2% (mirroring a risen walk rate), leading to a 4.43 SIERA.

Kauffman’s new dimensions won’t help a fly-ball pitcher like Estevez escape more balls in play. Erceg is hoping to resuscitate the 28.5% K rate seen in 2024 after a slip in whiffs last year (19.3%), though he remains a groundball pitcher regardless. He also had back and shoulder injuries, weighing him down.

Strahm also took a step back last year, but could step into southpaw save opportunities if a committee formed in the wake of an Estevez stumble. Even with last year’s stat line, the lefty holds a 2.71 ERA/0.95 WHIP with 257 Ks in 212 ⅔ IP over the last three seasons.

Paul Sewald, Arizona Diamondbacks

NFBC ADP: 388

Fresh off a Driveline Baseball-fueled offseason, Sewald is positioned to anchor an Arizona bullpen that is hoping both A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez can return from their respective elbow injuries this midseason.

Sewald logged 13 saves for the D-backs down the stretch in ‘23 after being traded at the deadline from Seattle, though he was then removed from the role in early August 2024 to address “delivery issues.” He was a middle reliever for Cleveland and Detroit last year, which was largely lost to a moderate right shoulder strain.

Even before the injury, his velocity had fallen from 92-93 mph in 2023 to a flat 90. This inspired the Driveline journey, and it appears to have worked! He’s back above 92 this spring, and that familiarity with Torey Lovullo could pay off as a “proven closer” until Puk is ready.

Paul Sewald hit 93.5 MPH on his four-seam.

— Alex D’Agostino (@AlexDagAZ) March 14, 2026

Liam Hendriks, Minnesota Twins

NFBC ADP: 663

Hendriks doesn’t have the upper-90s stuff from before his injury woes kicked up, but Minnesota is desperate for someone to step up. He’s sitting around 94 mph in his first four spring appearances after averaging 95 mph over 14 ugly games last year for Boston.

That’s not a big sample, but you aren’t going to earn a larger one if you aren’t effective. However, Cole Sands (6 IP, 4 ER) and Justin Topa (3 ⅔ IP, 9 ER) haven’t been sharp this spring, while Taylor Rogers (4 IP, 2 ER, 6:3 K:BB) is still largely perceived as the 1A guy. Hendriks is a quiet pivot.

Hogan Harris, Athletics

NFBC ADP: 527

The A’s have plenty of unassuming arms in their bullpen, but Harris and Sterner have had the best springs thus far. Harris is the only southpaw at this point, with an 11:3 K:BB over seven innings and new life on his pitches. His four-seamer trended from 92-93 mph up to 94 by September last year, but now it’s cranking up above 96 and touching 97 by mid-March.

Justin Sterner has an 8:3 K:BB in his six innings, while both Mark Leiter Jr. and Scott Barlow are experienced veterans. I certainly don’t believe that the A’s will reserve their only key southpaw for the ninth, but a jump in effectiveness could be palpable.

Drew Smith, Washington Nationals

NFBC ADP: 813

Smith has thrown three clean frames and looks to have a roster spot assured in a thin Washington bullpen. He’d been a strong strikeout arm for the Mets before injuring his elbow in June 2024, which brings us to now.

It appears that he's moving from a "power pitcher" that leaned on his four-seamer to being a slider-primary arm. He threw 13 sliders on 18 pitches back on March 6, earning three whiffs on six swings.

Seeing early spring control hold up is key. Otherwise, Beeter already has a 6:2 K:BB in 3 ⅔ IP as the high-ceiling, low-floor play (who I like around pick 275!), and Cole Henry has thrown three hitless innings as well. There’s no clear closer, but Smith is the silent riser to tuck away.

Zach Agnos, Colorado Rockies

NFBC ADP: 784

You don’t want to deal with Coors. I don’t want to either. However, they are still a major-league bullpen capable of producing saves (citation needed). Agnos made early waves last year with a 7 ⅓ IP scoreless streak that led to saves on April 30 and May 1, but he only had one strikeout on a tightrope act.

Then it was a brutal 8.63 ERA (6.47 FIP) with an 18:17 K:BB over the final 24 IP, with a late-season elbow injury that erased much of August and September. He primarily used a cutter and four seamer, with a splitter against lefties and a sweeper versus righties.

As you may have surmised, he’s tweaked that mix going into 2026. He’s picked up a sinker and a curveball, as well as refining the cutter, sweeper, and slider, which has inspired him to attack the zone with more fervor. He also says that Michael Lorenzen suggested he add a “death ball,” so there’s that.

Even in early matchups against stars on Team USA and the Dodgers, Ags has cruised to a 6:1 K:BB with a 23.9% swinging-strike rate and an eight-percentage-point bump to his first-strike rate. Obligatory “it’s early” note, but 2025 Agnos wasn’t capable of that against that caliber of hitter.

Coors will affect the breaking pitches, so we’ll have to see what the altitude tax skims off. You all may also not know that Agnos was a rockstar in the minors, posting a 146:28 K:BB with a 0.90 WHIP and 47 saves over 117 ⅔ IP. Now, he’s playing the MLB adjustments game with reason for initial enthusiasm.

Seth Halvorsen is playing with his fastball and slider grips as well, but his results are atrocious. Over 2 ⅔ IP, he’s allowed seven runs with a ghastly 3:9 K:BB, and you read that correctly! Victor Vodnik is also getting roughed up. Manager Warren Schaeffer is leaning toward a committee approach, and Agnos looks like a favorite.

"Ags has been an incredible standout in this camp. I think it's blatantly obvious to anybody who's been watching spring training games."

Warren Schaeffer on @Rockies reliever Zach Agnos, who has pitched 5.1 scoreless innings, giving up 2 hits & 1 BB with 6 Ks.#Rockies |… https://t.co/zjAGHS6XD6 pic.twitter.com/yz92sSgANW

— Guerilla Sports (@guerillasports) March 12, 2026

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